Judge, 1925-11-28 · page 12 of 36
Judge — November 28, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis: "Fitting and Improper" This satirical sketch mocks the absurdity of strict etiquette rules by pairing historical figures Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh with modern (1920s) slang and behavior. Walt speaks colloquially ("takin' in a movie," "how 'bout"), violating the queen's expectations of refined speech. The humor escalates when Walt consults a "Perfect Behavior" etiquette manual—yet still bundles the rules, mixing guidelines for the queen with those for actress Peggy Hopkins Joyce (a 1920s celebrity known for romantic scandals). The punchline satirizes class pretension: when Walt nobly removes his coat to cover a muddy puddle (referencing Raleigh's legendary gallantry), the queen is outraged—not grateful—because etiquette rules forbid removing one's coat in a queen's presence. The cartoon ridicules how rigid social codes contradict genuine kindness and common sense, and how the nouveau riche obsess over arbitrary rules while missing their point entirely.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Fitting and Improper (Queen Elizabeth and Sir Walter Raleigh saunter up the street. In his hand is a copy of “Perfect Behavior When With a Queen’’) ALTER—Well, Liz, how "bout takin’ ina movie? We've got a couple of hours to kill. Queen Elizabeth—Walt, how many times must I tell you not to speak that way. Phrase your thoughts more delicately. Turn to page 36 and you'll see you should have said: “Do me the honor of being my com- panion .at a performance of the cinema, Your Gracious and Adorable Highness?” Walt—I ain’t much on oily talkin’, Liz, but I ain’t got past the chapter on “How to Undress in an Upper Berth,” so I ain’t learned much yet. You know your old Walt, don’t you? (He attempts a sly poke in the queenly ribs.) How a social upstart feels at his first big social dinner. Liz—Walt, stop that! Don’t you see where it says: “Never poke the queen in the ribs on a west-bound or one-way street?” Walt—Gee, I’m sorry, but I mixed SEEING AMERICA WORST OU are now "entering BOSTON, it up with the rules under “Perfect Behavior When with Peggy Hopkins Joyce.” I’m darned sorry, Queenie. Tiz—Now, you study your eti- quette book good and hard and may- be we'll make you Lord Chamberlain of Deportment, Manners and Breed- ing. (They come to a muddy street crossing.) Oh, Walt, I can’t cross here. The street’s full of mud and slush. It'll just ruin my good slip- pers. Walt (surveying the crossing)—It’s a darned shame, I tell you. Here I am paying big taxes and they don’t even clean the streets. I'll see the mayor about this. It’s an outrage. Liz’ (shedding queenly tears)—I can’t step into that and I won't! Walt—Cut out the water-works, Liz. Let little old Walt take care of you. (He removes his coat and thtows it down on the puddle.) Step on it, old girl—step on it! Liz (in a rage)—Never dare to speak to me again, you uncouth per- son. By what right do you have the audacity to appear before a queen in your shirt sleeves! How dare you remove your coat in my presence! Doesn’t it say on page 35, “Never remove your coat in the queen's presence.” Leave me—at once, you vulgar person! Walt (gingerly picking up his coat and shuffling thoughtfully away)—It ain’t the heat so much, I mind, it’s the humility. Besides, what'll they do—years hence without the gallant precedent of Walt Raleigh paving the street with his “Walk upstairs and save $10?” Hugh Wood comicbooks.com